Stacking wedding bands isn’t a new thing. Indeed, it’s been around for as long as people have worn jewelry. The trend, however, has really taken off and exploded in the last 10 years or so. Keep reading to discover everything that you need to know about stackable wedding bands.

Understanding the Stackable Wedding Band

Traditionally, there have been three rings associated with marriage, the engagement ring at the time of making the commitment to the marriage, the wedding band at the time of the ceremony and the eternity ring which is given at a later, unspecified, date.

A stackable wedding band is a ring that is comprised of two or three (or more) bands that are placed next to each other. The joint rings will give an illusion of a large single ring. The benefit of stackable bands is that you can keep switching and reconfiguring the rings without the pressure of being limited to one layout.

As stackable bands have become more popular, it has also become common for women to stack their engagement ring and wedding ring to be part of a matched pair. They will ask the jewelry to create a wedding band that will sit around the engagement ring, stacking perfectly beside it like a stacked band. Many retailers now offer an option to buy both rings as a matching set.

Do you need to be Married to Wear Stackable Wedding Bands?

Click here to view the outer wedding bands and here to view the inner wedding band.

No. Even though, stackable wedding bands are called “wedding bands”, there is no requirement demanding that you be married in order to wear them. In fact, the band stacking trend is most popular with women in their 20’s and 30’s, most of whom are single.

No one will think that you’re married if you’re wearing a wedding band. The giveaway will be the engagement ring. If you have an engagement ring and a wedding band, everyone will assume that you’re married. If you just have a wedding band (or multiple wedding bands) everyone will know that you’re single. They may just marvel at your fashion-forward style.

How to Stack a Wedding Band

There are no rules on how to stack your wedding bands because stacking is an art form and not a science. Some women even prefer to switch hands when stacking. If the engagement ring is to be worn continuously on the ring finger of the left hand, they may put it on the pointer finger of the right hand.

There is nothing wrong with stacking 3 mismatched rings together. If you love how it looks, just do it!

There is only one rule to stacking. You can only stack wedding rings based on the length of your fingers! That’s it.

If you’re lucky enough to be blessed with long slender fingers, then go mad and stack away! You can put 10 bands on each finger.

It’s true that some people like order and others like chaos, and the principles are applied with stacking. A common look is to have two similar bands either side of the original – different – wedding band. Also popular is a mismatch of colors, engravings, and even stones. In the past 20 years, fashion and style have often taken a back seat to substance, so don’t be afraid to experiment and mix and match several designs.

What Not To Do with Stackable Wedding Bands

Although we’ve already said there are no rules with stacking, there are probably one or two things to consider in order to maximize both the effect and wearability.

If you go for antique stackable wedding bands with different stones, having them offset from the dead center not only adds visual interest but will also make the stack a little easier to wear and help to stop snagging and the stones grinding together too much.

Also, if you plan to wear mismatched wedding bands, consider two slimmer rings on either side of a wider-band ring. The other way around would probably only serve to see the thinner band getting lost among its bigger brethren.

Here are a few tips to avoid when stacking bands:

Try not to stack too many rings on the same finger because it may become difficult to bend your finger.

Avoid placing low bands near a single large band because the effect may appear a little unsettling.

Don’t keep your rings on all day. Take your bands off so that your finger can breathe.

If you have an antique band, pay attention to it. Antique bands are a lot more delicate. They can easily be damaged.

Adding More Wedding Bands

Many people add rings to the stack periodically. Someone who collects wedding bands will probably mark occasions like an anniversary or a child’s birth with another wedding band.

If this is the case, antique stackable wedding bands can often be custom-made to perfectly compliment the original wedding band or engagement ring. It is even possible to shape the new rings to make them fit snugly alongside any stones which may be set wider than the band of the earlier rings.

It’s really all about you. Let your style and your personality shine through your wedding bands. Jewelry is a very personal thing. Your fashion decisions shouldn’t be dictated by anything other than your taste and quality. If you want to wear something that others wouldn’t, then wear it. After all, there’s only one person looking at your stacked rings all day, and that’s you. It’s about the mix of colors, textures, engravings, and settings. We think that it’s all the better for being able to change the order and combination to suit every occasion.

Shop Our Collection

Estate Diamond Jewelry have been building our collection of stackable wedding bands for over 38 years. We now have one of the most comprehensive collections online. Feel free to browse through some of our collection below or click here to view our entire collection.

Final Thoughts

In jewelry, everyone is writing rules and regulations about the cut, the size, the clarity and more. We don’t see why anybody should apologize for breaking some of those rules. Stack rings on multiple fingers, if you want to, and live a little.

Based on everything mentioned above, perhaps it is safe to say that there is a rule to wedding band stacking. The first and only rule of the stacking club is “Just Be You”.

If this article has awakened or stoked your interest in stackable wedding bands, click here to view our collection.

Which set of wedding bands do you think compliments each other in the most flattering way? Tell us in the comments below?

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Benjamin Khordipour is one of the researchers and gemologists at Estate Diamond Jewelry. He received his gemological degrees from both GIA and GUBELIN.

Benjamin was born in New York and joined Estate Diamond Jewelry in 2014. He is passionate about vintage jewelry and vintage diamonds. This blog was built based on his strong belief that there is a responsibility for jewelers to properly educate their customers.